Crown thinning and canopy reduction in Meadowvale
- Fully insured
- Free written quote
- Storm calls after hours
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A name and a number start the file. The rest helps the arborist bring the right gear.
Your note is in. Watch for a call from us before the next workday wraps up, and we'll set a time to see the tree in person. Tree already down? Ring (289) 206-8523.
A dense crown blocks the light and catches the wind
Thinning takes out selected branches from inside the crown. The tree keeps its size and shape, but light reaches the lawn and wind passes through instead of pushing against it.
Reduction shrinks the whole crown, shortening each outer limb to a live fork. It suits a tree that has grown over the roof or across the property line.
When a crown needs thinning or reduction
- Grass under the tree has thinned out from shade
- The crown sways hard and heavy in wind
- The tree has grown over the roof or into the neighbour's yard
- Moss and damp stay on the roof under the canopy
- Branches crowd each other and die off inside the crown
How we thin or reduce a crown
- We agree on the goal with you: more light, less wind load, or a smaller tree.
- An arborist climbs and removes crowded, crossing and weak branches from inside the crown.
- For reduction, each outer limb is cut back to a side branch at least a third its size.
- We keep the natural shape, so the tree looks full when we're done.
- Brush goes through the chipper and off site on our truck.
What crown thinning costs
A crown on a house-height tree takes $300 to $800 to thin or shrink. Broad mature crowns climb to $800 to $1,500 and up. Treat these figures as a guide; the number we sign on paper after seeing your yard is the one you pay.
Get my written priceNorway maples in Meadowvale have grown dense and heavy
Norway maples were one of the most planted yard and street trees in the 1970s, when Meadowvale was built. After fifty years, many have thick crowns that shade whole backyards and hold a lot of wind. A thinning every few years keeps them lighter and lets the lawn grow again.
Questions about crown thinning
Is canopy reduction the same as topping?
No. Reduction shortens every limb to a live fork, which keeps the tree strong. Topping cuts limbs at a set height and leaves stubs that sprout weak regrowth.
How much of the crown do you remove?
Usually 10 to 20 percent, and one quarter of the live crown is the ceiling for one visit.
How often does a tree need thinning?
Most mature shade trees do well with thinning every three to five years.
Will thinning make my tree safer in storms?
It lowers the wind load on the crown, which lowers the chance of limbs breaking. Pair it with cabling if the tree has a weak fork.
All seven services are on the Meadowvale Tree Service home page. Call and we'll come look at the crown.
Other tree services in Meadowvale
- Plate 1Tree Trimming and PruningRed oakLimbs resting on the roof, rubbing the eaves or hanging low over the driveway.
- Plate 2Dead Branch RemovalSilver mapleBare grey limbs that shed bark and snap off in an ordinary wind.
- Plate 3Emergency Storm Damage CleanupWillowA limb on the house, the car or the fence after wind or ice.
- Plate 4Tree RemovalGreen ashA dead, split or leaning tree that pruning can no longer fix.
- Plate 6Tree Cabling and BracingBasswoodTwo trunks pulling apart at a narrow V, or one long limb carrying too much weight.
- Plate 7Stump Grinding and RemovalHoney locustA stump left in the lawn that sprouts, trips people or blocks a new plan.